English for Football Phrase – Week 10 2007: Giantkilling / Underdog

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Each week we explain a soccer phrase or cliché on our weekly languagecaster podcast. You can find many more examples by going to our football phrase page here and football clichés here.

Underdog/Giantkilling.mp3 || Underdog/Giantkilling.pdf

Now this week’s English for Football focuses on two expressions that are connected to the FA Cup. Now, underdog is the name we use to describe the weaker of the two teams that are playing in a game. This team has less chance than the favourite; so, for example, next weekend’s cup match between Chelsea from the Premier League and Macclesfield from the Second Division, Chelsea are the clear favourites and Macclesfield are the underdogs. Now, if Macclesfield were to beat Chelsea this would be seen as an example of giant killing and giant killing is the second of our words this week. Now this word giant killing comes from the Bible story of David and Goliath. David defeated Goliath who was a giant and a much bigger, more powerful opponent but David defeated him so David was a giant killer. So, when a team, a smaller team, defeats a much more powerful or bigger team we call this giant killing.

Listen to Podcast 10 from 2007: The FA Cup

Category: football phrases